No Greek tragedy: the Australian Ballet has fun in Sylvia

By Chantal Nguyen, 14 November 2019

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“I can’t remember the last time I chuckled that much through a ballet”

Reviewed at Sydney Opera House: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney on 13 November 2019

Sylvia (Australian premiere) (Stanton Welch)

The Australian Ballet

Jérôme Kaplan, Set Designer

Wendall K Harrington, Costume Designer

Lisa J Pinkham, Lighting Designer

Karina González, Dancer

Connor Walsh, Dancer

Brett Chynoweth, Dancer

Jill Ogai, Dancer

Robyn Hendricks, Dancer

Adam Bull, Dancer

Daniel Byrne, Dancer

Mason Lovegrove, Dancer

Luke Marchant, Dancer

Drew Hedditch, Dancer

Houston Ballet: a hugely entertaining Cinderella

Carla Escoda, 24th February

Stanton Welch's Cinderella has mostly worn well at Houston Ballet, anchored by a delightful rewriting of the central love story and packed with marvellous, witty details.

****1

Stanton Welch's zany, imaginative Nutcracker for Houston Ballet

Carla Escoda, 9th December

Stanton Welch's 2016 production of The Nutcracker for Houston Ballet is a wild and dazzling ride, even for those who think they've had enough of this warhorse of a ballet.

****1

Visions of Classical (Re)Vision in San Francisco

Jaime Robles, 11th February

“Your love affair with ballet, your time with ballet, is short,” explains Welsh about his ballet Bespoke, “Eventually you lay down, and dance keeps moving. It’s a bittersweet thing.”

****1

A lively evening of pure dance from San Francisco Ballet

Graham Watts, 5th June

An enjoyable evening of thematic dance but without any insights into the future of ballet.

***11

Unbound Festival continues with superb dancing

Jaime Robles, 24th April

Benjamin Freemantle danced the opening solo, gorgeously, in the role of the grandfather as a dreamy young Adonis.

****1

Smuin: Dance Series 1

Terez Rose, 1st October

Smuin Contemporary American Ballet presents a trio of works ranging from the sublime to the eclectic in the company’s 2016-17 opening program.

****1

More reviews...

Chantal Nguyen

Chantal has a background in ballet and contemporary dance, and was the first Australian to complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in Higher Level Dance. She has completed violin studies, and plays regularly in Sydney ensembles. She also dabbles in folk songs and subversive musical parody.